Why Scotsmen Are Such Popular Romantic Heroes: Selene Grace Silver

Sean Connery. Ewan McGregor. Gerard Butler. Three of the sexiest male actors to ever cross a stage or smile for the camera. Handsome, utterly masculine and swoon-worthy, it’s no surprise that they are all Scottish.

Frankly, Scotsmen have played the lead in many a woman’s fantasies, not just on the silver screen. Besides appearing in nightly dreams, they seem to run rampant in romance novels, much to this reader’s delight. The most famous Scottish hero to appear in a novel is, of course, Jamie Fraser in Diana Gabaldan’s Outlander series. There’s just something irresistible about a man who claims Scotland as his homeland.

So why do women drool over these men? Here are my top eleven reasons, in no particular order.

His Scottish Accent. No one, and I mean no one, anywhere in the English-speaking world, has a better accent. A lass never tires of being told she’s loved, especially when the man is speaking in a husky brogue. Lots of actors have played James Bond, but none has impersonated the role better than deep-voiced Sean Connery.

His Cheeky Sense of Humor. With comedians like Billy Connolly and Craig Ferguson, it’s clear the Scots have learned to cope with adversity by developing a clever wit. With a sparkle in his eye, a true Scotsman knows just how to tease his woman’s funny bone to make her laugh and forget all her troubles.

His Bravery. Famous Scottish warriors like Robert the Bruce and William Wallace dominate the West’s ideal of the dashing, fearless hero. With the berserker as their classic warrior archetype, Scottish Highlanders and Lowlanders alike know how to take charge on a battlefield. And frankly, no warrior in history has wielded a more impressive weapon than the deadly seven-foot long Scottish broadsword, also known as the claymore, which could cleave an enemy in half. Gerard Butler had a potent ancestry to draw on for his leading role in 300.

His Resilient Spirit. Even the ancient Romans, whose military success is unparalleled, failed to conquer the enduringly clannish Scots. The English went at it for centuries too before the modern age made a unified country inevitable. Even today, the Scottish become offended if mistaken for the English by insular Americans. Scotland is part of the United Kingdom, but its citizens still consider themselves Scottish first and foremost.

His Friendly Camaraderie. Travel to Scotland and learn firsthand what it feels like to be welcomed home, even if you aren’t Scottish. Join the locals for a traditional pub crawl, and you might find yourself steamin’, stotious, and staggering off together like a rubber man in search of a fish supper or a black/red/white pudding or a curry takeaway. Open, gregarious and warm-hearted, the Scottish easily charm lucky visitors.

His Highland Dress. Frankly, for a woman, nothing is sexier than a pair of muscular, masculine legs in tartan plaid. After all, a gal can’t look at a man in a kilt without wondering what lies underneath. And if she’s seen Ewan McGregor in The Pillow Book, she knows it’s worth fantasizing about.

His Financial Acumen. A sizable portion of America’s fortune in the 1800s was created by intrepid, immigrant Scots. Foundations like Carnegie’s stand out as lasting symbols of that industrial spirit. It’s important to remember that the Scots aren’t cheap, they are merely financially resourceful and expect value for money. Woe on the person who tries to cheat a Scotsman out of his hard-earned dosh. Economists today still study and follow the theories of Scotsman Adam Smith.

His Ingenuity and Inventiveness. Scots have invented a wide range of things that have improved human experience. The list is extensive, but to name some of the more notable: the telephone (Alexander Graham Bell), the television (John Logie Baird), the refrigerator (William Cullen), the flushing toilet (Alexander Cummings), chloroform—also known as Scotch by the locals—(James Young Simpson), and penicillin (Alexander Fleming); few other countries boast so many enterprising scientists and inventors per capita.

His Nostalgia Paired with His Forward Thinking. If anyone ever wanted proof that the Scots are sentimental creatures, they need only listen to the haunting, hypnotic sound of the bagpipes. Fortunately, the Scottish propensity to romanticize their past has never stopped them from crafting a better future. For example, in music, while they might bring out the pipes for the annual Highland Games and cèilidh dancing, cutting-edge music produced by natives like Garbage and DJ Calvin Harris populate the charts.

His Love of Nature and Animals. Despite the persistently rainy weather, Scotsmen love the out-of-doors. Boasting nearly 300 munros (hills over 3000 feet), Scotland’s lush green landscape tempts man (and his faithful dog) to work off those fish suppers and the pints of heavy via munro-baggin’. The views from the heights are stunning—never mind that it’s an absolutely brilliant way to keep bare legs in kilt-ready shape. All that undisturbed nature brings to one’s mind the love scene in Rob Roy (with Roy played by Liam Neeson) in which his wife (played by Jessica Lange) lifts her dress and climbs onto his lap, fueling many a lass’s fantasy about what might happen somewhere along the route to the top of the mountain, should she join the hike.

His Romantic Nature. “O my Luve’s like a red, red rose, /That’s newly sprung in June: /O my Luve’s like the melodie, /That’s sweetly play’d in tune.” Robert Burns’ love poems are quotable the English-speaking world over. Scotsmen, like Burns who himself fell in love many times, appreciate and cherish women, and are more capable than most in wooing a women with poetry. Burns once wrote a friend: “I myself can affirm, both from bachelor and wedlock experience, that Love is the Alpha and the Omega of human enjoyment. All the pleasures, all the happiness of my humble Compeers, flow immediately from this delicious source. It is the spark of celestial fire which lights up the wintry hut of Poverty, and makes the chearless mansion, warm, comfortable and gay.”

To be eligible for the grand prizes, comment on the blog post, making sure to leave your email address. If your comment answers the blog post question above, you will also be eligible for

A Free Digital Copy of The Swing of Her Hips

The winner will be chosen at midnight on February 15, 2013.

Selene Grace Silver’s first published romance concerns a contemporary Scotsman who comes to California for a job, but stays for love. The Swing of Her Hips is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Apple, and elsewhere. Two additional works by Silver, Crash Into My Heart and Her New Year’s Knight, are also available on Amazon. Silver’s first novel, The Binding of Adara, will be released this spring. Check out her web site.

35 thoughts on “Why Scotsmen Are Such Popular Romantic Heroes: Selene Grace Silver”

To think of just one Scotsman is almost impossible. They are in a clan by themselves. But I will start at the top with Jamie Frasier. The # 1 for me in truth. 🙂 I’m waiting for the next book . I can’t seem to get enough of Jamie and his fictional life. 🙂 Thanks for the chance.
Carol L.

Absolutely insane for Ewan McGregor, have been for years (especially that one-two punch of THE PILLOW BOOK and VELVET GOLDMINE…ohh). I love Scottish bands like Teenage Fanclub, too–beautiful harmonies and that sort of rain-swept guitar sound, gorgeous. My favorite book Scot right now is Griff Muir from Damon Suede’s m/m masterpiece HOT HEAD. (Sure, he’s a New Yorker of Scottish descent, but he’s a sexy ginger who’s been known to wear kilts. He’s also a fireman who loves to play hockey, so all my weaknesses are catered to by one character, GOOD GRIEF.)

We all want to love a Heartbreaker. Maybe its because of his chiseled good looks, his bad boy attitude, or the mysterious nature of him. Some Heartbreakers are just that, they know what they got and how to use it to get what they want. Then there are those Heartbreakers that don’t even realize that they are doing it. The best part about a Heartbreaker is that there is always a woman that turns their world upside down until they realize it is love. I have read many Romance Novels over the years and have run into many memorable Heartbreakers and my favorites are usually the ones that don’t even know they are Heartbreakers! Some of my personal favorite Heartbreakers are :

Kade Jamenson (Werewolf) from An Alpha’s Path. Kade is a sexy werewolf that will make you burn but a mishap with a potential mate makes him not think he will find love.

Ian MacPhie (Vampire) from All I Want For Christmas is a Vampire. Ian is a heartbreaking Highland Vampire that was frozen in his immortality when he was only 15. With the help of his friend he is given a drug that helps him age to 28 so he could look like a man instead of a child after hundreds of years. He has no idea that he looks of a warrior and the lover.

Lothaire Daciano (Vampire) from Lothaire. Lothaire is definitely a heartbreaker and his cocky attitude proves it! Thinks he’s a gift to women! Its just the sucker punch from a woman he doesn’t realize is his equal that brings him down a notch.

Marius Parker from His Contrary Bride. Marius is every part the gentlemen but doesn’t realize he could also easily be the rogue!

Benjamin Gateway from To Win His Wayward Wife. Benjamin doesn’t realize that he is a heartbreaker because the one woman he loved, he lost….or did he?

Fury North (Human with Canine DNA) from Fury and Valiant North (Human with Feline DNA) from Valiant. Fury and Valiant are strong New Species and gorgeous to boot, but because they are damaged they doesn’t think they can hold onto to the women they love.

Sigimor Cameron from Highland Conqueror. Sigimor is every bit the Highland Laird and warrior but can he hold onto to the beautiful English lady?

Joshua Striker (Werewolf) from Alexandra’s Legacy. Joshua is a scared and battle hard enforcer for his pack and he thinks that he doesn’t have what it takes to make the women melt.

Well, it used to be Sean Connery until I learned what a womanizer he is/was so now it’s probably Ewan McGregor. Though John Barrowman looks like a comer. I like that the Scots seem to be real men and usually tall (Sean Connery is 6’4″), whereas Hollywood seems to like short, skinny men these days.

I remember hearing an NPR report once saying that the Scots were the tallest men in Europe until WWI/WWII (easy targets in traditional warfare, I guess). So true about John Barrowman, such a dreamy handsome Scot. He really captures that cheeky, mischievous quality I love about those guys. I’ve been crushing on Scotsman Robert Carlyle.

Does Derek from the Bay City Rollers count? OK, so my tastes have matured since 1977. Sean Connery and James McAvoy are my favorite actors for sure. As far as history goes, I’ll take Rob Roy. Maybe he should count for my fiction category as well since I’m sure the Hollywood version was a whole lot more romantic than the real man. Sigh.

My favorite Heartbreaker is the one that your heart can’t live without. One of my best is Lucas from D B Reynolds book “LUCAS” (Vampire in America series). Strong mind, well put together and tender when he wants to be. And loves horses.

Hmmm…that’s a hard one but I have to pick Christian McKeltar from the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning.
Thanks for the great giveaway!! So many great prizes!! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Ashley A
ash_app(at)hotmail(dot)com

Sean Connery… hubby found out i had a crush on him when we were dating so now even 14 years later he still trys to “talk” like Sean Connery he fails so bad lol but it does get me laughing and kissing him to shut him up lol.